The Memory of Trees
by bingbing03
Summary: At the end of the Bakumatsu, Himura Kenshin hid his persona as Battousai and sought refuge in an asylum. Ten years later, he meets a free-spirited nurse- Kamiya Kaoru. Will she help him come to terms with himself?
1. The Patient

**The Memory of Trees**   
**The Patient**   


_It is the human nature to _

Construct a mask out of guilt, 

So that one can hide behind it 

And away from the world 

He would sit there every morning without fail, gazing dreamily out of the window. It was a routine that everyone was used to, and before breakfast the nurses would already have placed a cushion there for him. 

They all liked him. He was caring, obliging, thoughtful... He never threw any tantrums, and was very polite, albeit the fact that he was a bit dreamy and sometimes looked like he was oblivious to what was going on around him. 

But he knew. He knew every single patient in his building. He knew what kind of sickness each of them had, what their family members were like, and how infrequently they would come to visit. He knew when the nurses talked in hushed voices about him, about how he was such a nice kind of person, how sweet he was, and how it was a pity his life had to go to waste like that. After all, he was only twenty-eight. 

He was totally aware of his surroundings, and he knew that he could leave this place once and for all whenever he wanted to. Scheming, clever Hitokiri Battousai took care of that. 

The Asylum. Society in nineteenth-century Japan shunned this place; they made it seem like a living hell that they put freaks in. But Kenshin knew why it was called the Asylum. Because it provided rest, it provided comfort for him. In the Asylum, he didn't need to worry about anything other than whether he had arranged the flowers that the nurse asked him to arrange correctly, or whether he had hurt the feelings of the person in the room next to his. Of course, they had taken his sakabatou, but Kenshin didn't really care about that. Battousai did. 

The Asylum buildings were fairly nice and comfortable traditional Japanese buildings built on a plot of sprawling land. They were nothing like some of the other Asylums, horrible cold western buildings that made Kenshin shudder when he thought of them. 

He was jerked out of his reverie as a nurse tapped his shoulder. 

"Please come for breakfast, Himura-san." 

Every morning it was the same line that they would say, the same smile, the same light tap of the shoulder. Please come for breakfast, Himura-san. They said it like he was their equal, not like he was some worm on the ground that needed to be squashed, or an evil, powerful swordsman who could snuff out their lives any moment. 

_I could, you know, Himura._ Battousai's voice was taunting him, trying to make him stumble. 

"You couldn't," Kenshin muttered under his breath as he got up from the stool and numbly followed the nurse to the mess hall. 

"What was that, Himura-san?" The nurse's voice came across as worried. 

"Oh, nothing. Thank you for your concern." Kenshin smiled. 

"You don't need to be so polite, Himura-san." 

It was better to ignore that one. Kenshin kept on smiling. Nowadays the nurses didn't press him for replies so much. 

He sat down at his reserved seat. Porridge. They had porridge every morning. Mechanically, he dipped his spoon in and started to eat. The people around him had started five minutes ago, but he always could finish faster than them. Battousai never relished the luxury of pushing food around on one's plate, watching the way the patterns and colour combinations changed. Kenshin had been trained never to do so, and old habits died hard. So it was still like the old way- efficient and never really tasting anything. 

Very soon, he had scraped up the last remains of the porridge and drank the glass of warm water that had been set down in front of him. 

"That was an excellent breakfast." Every morning. Every morning he would finish his porridge, drink his water, and then stand up to declare the breakfast as excellent at exactly eight o'clock. It was such a routine that everyone would pause what he or she were doing at that exact moment for Kenshin to do so. That was an excellent breakfast. 

_Liar. You didn't even taste it, Himura._ Battousai again. 

"Oh yes I did," Kenshin muttered as he proceeded to return the tray and the utensils. 

He smiled at the pretty nurse that took his tray. It was strange; he had never seen her before. She had beautiful black hair and beautiful blue eyes that seemed to look into his soul. It was a pity she was dressed in the regular blue nurses' kimono with the white apron, or she might have looked prettier... 

_Himura's got his eye on a nurse..._ Battousai could be surprisingly irritating sometimes. 

"Tomoe..." Kenshin whispered under his breath, trying to push thoughts of the nurse out of his head. Normally, he would have walked back to his seat by the window, but for some peculiar reason- probably something to do with Battousai; he disrupted his daily protocol and instead started off for his room. 

... 

Kamiya Kaoru had started her first day as a nurse at the asylum with much apprehension. Her family members had thrown up a big fuss when she had announced her decision, and spent a lot of energy trying to persuade her to choose another career path. They all told her the same thing- that she would go crazy and have to join the asylum as a patient if she stayed for too long. But Kaoru had persisted, and finally her family had to relent. Besides, they needed the money. 

Kaoru smiled as she observed the strange patient with flaming red hair tied up in a ponytail turn to go to his room. He was short for a man, and his frame was rather delicate. Kaoru blushed slightly as he turned around and directed his oddly concentrated attention to her. His large purple eyes had lowered slightly as she looked at him, smiling, and a small, distracted smile played on his lips. His smile was... strangely sad, like he was filled with regret. No wonder, Kaoru thought to herself, as she noticed the ugly-looking cross scar that marked his face before he turned away. 

"He must stand out a lot to visitors when they visit the asylum," Kaoru muttered to herself. 

"Absolutely, Kaoru-san. In an asylum full of mental patients dressed in white, a red-haired man dressed in a fuchsia kimono and white hakama pants has to stand out," a voice piped out from behind her. 

Kaoru turned around, horrified to see that the person was Megumi, the resident doctor at the asylum. 

Megumi had worked at the asylum for easily ten years already, and she was actually the person who had recommended Kaoru as a nurse. She was not married yet, but everybody knew that she would someday get engaged with Sagara Sanosuke, a prison warden from the detention centre down the road who would drop by to help out every day after work. Kaoru was very grateful to Megumi, and looked to her as a mentor. 

"That's Himura Kenshin. He's twenty-eight this year, and he's lived here for ten years. None of us are quite sure about his past, but I do know that he was involved in the Bakumatsu at the end of the Tokugawa period. Not long after the Meiji Restoration, he turned up at our doorstep, begging for asylum. I had just started my job as a doctor here, so I wasn't involved in the interrogation. But they let him stay, in the end. Besides, he earns some of his keep. He does the laundry for us. Ken-san is a very nice man." Megumi smiled fondly at his retreating figure. "But I've given up hoping that my Sanosuke would be more like him..." 

"What was that you said, Kitsune?" Sanosuke had crept up from behind and had suddenly brought his hand down on her shoulder, causing her to jump in fright. Of course, today was his off day, Kaoru realised. 

Kaoru smiled as she watched Megumi reprimand Sanosuke sharply. Even though they quarrelled a lot, everyone knew that they loved each other very much. 

"I'll be starting work now, Megumi-san," Kaoru said, bowing slightly. 

"Of course, Kaoru-san," Megumi said absently, before she was dragged off by Sanosuke to see the cake that he had bought for her, leaving Kaoru to stand there holding the empty tray. 

"It's time to start work now, Kaoru," she told herself. 

A/N: 

So, how was that? I hope it wasn't too bad... :) This is my first shot at a semi-AU fic, and I'm busy planning out where it's headed too. Please review! Oh 


	2. The Brother

**The Memory of Trees**   
**The Brother**   
  


_Justice is an illusion _

That man projects 

So that we can protect 

The last shred of differentiation 

From the animals that we share the Earth with   


Soujiro smiled mildly at the dour-faced man who was perched precariously on the high-security fence. 

"Good morning, Shinomori-san!" Soujiro's unmistakable chirping floated up to the man, who looked down. 

"Move faster Soujiro. We're late." He jumped off the fence and landed catlike next to the boy. 

"You could have gone in first, Shinomori-san." Soujiro frowned slightly. 

"It's Aoshi, Soujiro. Aoshi. And you know I always wait for you." Aoshi stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. 

"Anything you say, Shinomori-san." Soujiro remained unfazed by the icy glare that Aoshi shot him. 

"Sagara took a day off, so we're doing double shifts." 

Soujiro carried on smiling. "Where did he go?" 

"He went to visit his girlfriend at the Asylum." Aoshi grimaced at the word. 

"Oh. My sister is starting work there today. Father and Mother aren't very happy about it." 

Aoshi raised an eyebrow; it was obvious that Soujiro's parents had made a big fuss when his sister Kaoru had began her job at the Asylum- they had done the same when Soujiro had started at the Detention Centre. "That was the understatement of the year, Soujiro." 

"Whatever, Shinomori-san," Soujiro retorted, his smile never wavering. 

Aoshi removed his hands from his pockets as they entered the building. It was a large, grey western-style building, and it seemed intimidating to any passer-by, but to Aoshi it was just part of his dreary routine. He had been posted to this Detention Centre three years ago, and he counted himself lucky that he had not been posted to the high-security block. Saitou Hajime was in charge there, and everybody knew that he did his job well, even though he was very harsh. 

One bad thing about the place was the regulation against carrying swords in the open. Aoshi had always felt uncomfortable with a lightweight assassin's sword stuffed down the back of his coat, but rules were rules. 

"Shinomori-san? Shinomori-san?" Soujiro's voice interrupted Aoshi's musings, bringing him back to earth with a suitable bump. 

"Yes, Soujiro?" 

"Sign in." 

"Oh. Oh, yes. Sign in." Aoshi was feeling a bit embarrassed now. Hurriedly, he took the brush from Soujiro and inked his name in. 

"We're all ready for work now, Shinomori-" Soujiro began, but was cut off by the loud shouting of another prison warden running down the corridor. 

"Aoshi! Convict 461b is trying to get out! Saitou sent me to get you." 

Aoshi and Soujiro turned around at the sound of the man's shouts. The warden stumbled, and collapsed to the ground. Aoshi could see that he was badly wounded in the shoulder, because blood was oozing out very quickly, and was pooling around the poor man. 

"Yukishiro Enishi." Aoshi's voice was so soft, and so dangerous, that only Soujiro's sharp ears picked it up. 

"Shinomori-san? I'll stay behind and tend to Kato-san while you go ahead. I'll catch up with you soon." 

Without a backward glance, Aoshi turned and walked briskly off to the high-security block. 

... 

Kaoru peeked at Kenshin from behind of the pile of laundry she cradled in her arms as he meticulously scrubbed at somebody's stained kimono, smiling to himself for some strange reason. As she approached him, her ears picked up the sound of his soft humming. 

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked experimentally. 

Kenshin looked up, surprised. Nobody in the Asylum ever called him Kenshin, except for Megumi, and even then, it was always Ken-san. He smiled when he saw it was Kaoru. "Yes?" he asked softly. 

"There's more laundry," Kaoru said, immediately blushing after that. 

"Yes, there is," Kenshin agreed, taking the bundle from her. 

They stood there in awkward silence for a while. Kenshin watched her blush some more as he turned his gaze at her, and Kaoru hesitated, not knowing what to say. 

Finally, Kaoru broke it. "Thank- Thank you, Kenshin." 

As she turned to go, Kenshin reached out to touch the sleeve of her kimono, dropping all the laundry. 

"What is your name?" he asked tentatively. 

"Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru." 

Kenshin's eyes lit up. "Kaoru-dono," he said hesitantly. 

Kaoru laughed. "Goodbye, Kenshin." She turned and walked away. 

... 

"Could you pass me those bandages, Kaoru-san?" Megumi called from the other side of the storeroom. Kaoru obligingly threw them across to the doctor. Just then, Sanosuke arrived, pushing the large crate containing some medicine in front of him. 

"The tranquillisers are here! Thank-you, Sano," Megumi panted, gesturing towards the man. 

Sano rested for a while, before he straightened up again and walked out to move more crates in. That day just happened to be stocktaking and supplies day, so Megumi, Kaoru and the nurses were in the thick of it. Kaoru grinned tiredly as Sanosuke cursed his luck for taking an off day, but quickly wiped it off as Megumi passed her some more bottles of medicine. 

It was fairly warm in the stuffy storeroom, and Kaoru felt as if her head would burst very soon. She excused herself to the washroom and carefully made her way through the piles of stock. Kaoru sighed with fatigue as she stepped out of the door, but her sigh turned into a scream as she crashed headlong into... 

"Kenshin!" Kaoru shrieked in surprise. 

Kenshin went red with embarrassment as he steadied Kaoru. "I... I am sorry, Kaoru-dono," he said hurriedly before he dashed through the door and past her. 

"Doctor Takani." 

"Yes, Ken-san? I'm busy," Megumi called from behind yet another stack of crates. 

"The western medicine... I'm afraid I need it today." 

Megumi's head appeared from above the stack; she had climbed up a ladder. "No, Ken-san," she said firmly. "Too much tranquilliser will do more harm than good to your body." 

Kenshin hesitated for a while. "Yes, Doctor Takani," he finally said, reluctantly. "But I can feel him coming back." 

Megumi frowned. "Then we'd better... restrain you," she said. 

Kenshin nodded. "Do you have the rope?" he asked. 

Megumi pulled a length of thick rope from the shelf next to her, wincing as she threw it down to him. "Be careful, Ken-san." 

"I will be, Doctor Takani," Kenshin said softly. 

Megumi smiled sadly at him for a moment, and then, seeing Sanosuke coming in with another crate, shouted at the poor man. 

"SAGARA SANOSUKE! Where were you? Ken-san needs help!" 

Sanosuke nodded tiredly. "Yes, yes, Kitsune. I'll be right back after he's done." 

"You'd better be, Sano, or I'll skin you alive. Kaoru-san, would you mind accompanying them? Thanks," Megumi said. 

... 

It was always the same thing. Megumi only administered tranquillisers once a fortnight, so every week he would have to be tied to a pillar, to keep him from becoming violent and attacking someone. 

_It's a pity, you know, Himura. You being trussed up like a chicken every week to prevent me from coming out and killing every person in this stupid place. _

Kenshin chose not to answer. He forced a smile on his face as they stepped into his room. 

Unlike other rooms, which were regular-sized and had a futon in the middle, Kenshin's was the smallest one in the building, and the only one with a pillar going through. It was an extension once that had been built around the pillar that had once been outside the building. Originally meant for storage purposes, Kenshin had opted to live there. His futon was neatly pushed to the wall, and there was no sign of mess in the room. 

Sighing tiredly, Kenshin walked to the pillar and turned around, passing the rope to Sano, who began to tie him to it. Kenshin tried not to wince when Sano jerked the rope slightly, testing the tightness of the coil. 

"Thank-you, Sano," Kenshin said softly. Sano jerked his head quickly as a sign of acknowledgement, and then rushed off back to Megumi in the storeroom, leaving Kaoru behind. 

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked inquiringly. 

Kaoru smiled. "Yes, Kenshin?" 

"You don't need to stay here. Normally they leave me by myself." 

"Don't worry, Kenshin. I'll be fine here." 

They always left him to himself. They left him alone in his room with the ghosts of the past that haunted him forever. They always heard his screams, and he knew that they winced with every cry of anguish, but no one ever dared to stay in the same room as him when Battousai tried to take over. No one, until now. Kaoru-dono dared. 

"I... I might hurt you." His voice quivered slightly. He wouldn't just hurt her. He might even take her life if he was not careful. He always hurt those around him- he could never protect them. He couldn't even protect Tomoe from himself. 

_That's because you're useless, Himura. Totally useless. If you just relaxed and let me take over, things would be much easier. _ Battousai's voice seemed to echo through his mind. 

"I... I can't." His voice was hesitant. 

Battousai was setting a trap. 

"I... I just... can't." 

  


A/N:   


YAY! A cliffhanger! **Dodges a rotten tomato thrown by reviewer** Sorry about that, but I was thinking more of the effect of the reading. Please be nice and review! 


	3. The Wife

**The Memory of Trees**   
**The Wife**   
  
__

Every human has a song 

A song that winds itself through our life 

A song that intertwines with the songs of others 

A song that masks the darkness of man's heart   
  


Kenshin could almost see Battousai smirking sadistically at him. 

_Would you change your mind if you saw this?_

... 

They were watching. They were forever watching. Some of them looked at him with hatred, and others watched him with pain written all over their faces. There were some more who were weeping, and even more who had shock eternally frozen on their faces. But they all knew the same thing: Battousai. __

You killed me. 

You tore my life apart. 

You made my wife a widow. 

You made my son an orphan. 

You made my daughter parentless. 

You destroyed my pride. 

You cost my parents a son. 

You cost my siblings a sister. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

The truth seemed to push into his brain; it seemed to be pounding angrily inside his head, hitting him like a sledgehammer. He had killed them. His hands were stained with their blood. 

"I... I'm... I'm sorry..." His voice was a mere whisper, but they heard him. __

Sorry will never bring me back to my family. 

Sorry will never bring me back to my family. 

Sorry will never bring me back to my family. 

Sorry will never bring me back to my family. 

Their faces contorted into expressions of anger, and their mouths opened in silent screams of hatred. __

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

Their words were like whiplashes, and they cut into his body, drawing blood. The pain spread through his body, filling every nerve with intense fire. He could feel the blood dripping from his wounds; he could see it pooling around him in a macabre, red pool. __

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

He was screaming in agony. How could he have done such a thing? How could he have caused so much pain? 

Then he saw her. 

"Tomoe..." he whispered helplessly. 

She was impaled upon the point of a sword. His sword. 

"TOMOE!" His throat seemed to rip apart as he uttered her name. 

She turned towards him, the blood from her wound spurting onto him, wetting his face. 

_It's raining._

He heard her voice, as clear and delicate as ever. 

_You sure make it rain, don't you?_

She was smiling. She was smiling sadly. Her beautiful smile. 

_You made a rain of blood._

"NO! No, Tomoe. No. No..." Kenshin whimpered feebly. __

You killed me. 

You killed me. 

"TOMOE!!" 

Everyone in the rest of the block had heard the agonized shout, but no one came running. It was normal. 

But to Kaoru it wasn't. She watched impotently as Kenshin thrashed about on the pillar, banging his head against the wood. She needed to do something. 

"Kenshin?" she asked softly. "Kenshin?" 

She stepped forward and placed her small, delicate hand on his cheek, wincing as she felt that it was cold and clammy. He had broken into a cold sweat, and was drenched from head to toe. He moaned slightly as he felt her cool hand on his cheek, and his eyes snapped open. 

Kaoru peered into them. Instead of the usual warm purple, this Kenshin's eyes were fiery amber, flashing dangerously. Then he blinked again, and his eyes returned to it's original purple. 

"Kaoru-dono," he breathed raggedly, "I'm sorry about that." His eyes were glazed, and Kaoru could see beads of sweat sliding down his face. 

She smiled. "It's fine, Kenshin. Are you all right?" 

Kenshin inhaled deeply. "I was never better, Kaoru-dono." 

"That's good." 

There was a silence for a moment, before Kaoru asked, "Kenshin?" 

"Yes, Kaoru-dono?" 

"I think you're lying." 

"I'm... lying? 

"Yes, Kenshin. Tell me the truth. What happened?" 

Kenshin felt another wave of pain pass through his body, and his breathing pace quickened. He felt a lump rising in his throat. 

Kaoru paled. "Kenshin?" 

He could not answer. The pain was just too hard to bear. 

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked worriedly. "Just... Just let it all out, Kenshin." 

"Kaoru... dono... I need to... I feel nauseous..." 

Then he threw up. 

Kaoru felt sickened as Kenshin vomited all over her, but instead of backing away in disgust like she would normally do, she instead threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. 

"Just let it all out, Kenshin," she murmured into his ear, patting his back as if he was a small child. 

Then the tears came. 

For the first time in ten years, Himura Kenshin cried.   
  


A/N: 

Whew! I finally finished the "dream sequence". Lots of Linkin Park was involved in this- their songs are really good for this kind of thing... heh. Oh, and before I forget, _The Memory of Trees_ is the title of a really enchanting song of the same name by the great and wonderful Enya. YAY! Enya and Linkin Park rocks!! 

Sorry about that... :) 

Oh, quick Disclaimer: RK is not mine, Enya's songs are not mine, Linkin Park's songs are not mine, only the plot is mine. And those little philosophical quotes on the top there. Yes, those are mine. And I NEED A BETA! Wheet wheet! A BETA READER!!   
  


REVIEW THANKS:

KONEKO: You like my writing style? I LOVE YOU!! 

CRAZY GIRL PERSON: Thanks! 

C-CHAN: Thanks! 

KAKARLENA TSUGOI: I've updated! 

DIANA: Thanks so much! I really appreciate all the reviews that everyone has sent in! 

POLKA DOT: Yeah, he's an evil, evil man. Poor Kenshin. **Sob** 

HARU: Welcome to the sugar high club! I'm a sugar eater too- totally dependent on that substance... :) 

LUCRECIA LEVRAI: It's great that you could get that kind of reaction... Thanks for letting me know! 

LEM: Thanks! 

CHIRUKEN: Kaoru is a very strong woman, though most people don't realize it. And yes, POOR KENSHIN!! 

THE WEIRD ONE: I've got multiple copies of the guy, want to watch them have a cockfight? Anyway, thanks! 

LTTO GRRL STEPHIE: Don't worry; Kaoru just gets a bit... dirty. Yeah. 

THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL YOU PEOPLE! I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU GUYS!! 


	4. The Girl

**The Memory of Trees**

**The Girl**

_Discrimination puts one_

_A step above his counterpart_

_But how high the step is_

_Is a different question_

Yukishiro Enishi lay on the cold, hard floor of his cell, the heavy ball chained to his ankle, and his hands restrained. His eyes were glazed, and his breathing heavy, as he rolled over to stare at the blank ceiling.

That was the third time he had tried to escape that month, but the Mibu Wolf had always stopped him before he could succeed. Saitou certainly was not useless.

¡°I¡¯m sorry, onee-san. I couldn¡¯t find Battousai,¡± he whispered softly.

Tomoe. Slaughtered by Battousai. She had loved him, but he had returned her love with death. Enishi felt his blood boil as he recalled the night before her death.

_¡°Really, Enishi, Kenshin is a very wonderful man. He¡¯s funny, he¡¯s caring, and he¡¯s kind...¡± Tomoe told Enishi beseechingly._

_Enishi looked up from his soba. ¡°Be careful, onee-san.¡±_

And then she had died the next day.

Enishi was jerked from his thoughts by the high-pitched call of no one other than Makimachi Misao, who was in charge of meals.

¡°Yukishiro-san! It¡¯s time for lunch! Saitou-san said you weren¡¯t to have any, but Aoshi-sama said that I was to give you some,¡± Misao babbled.

Slowly, Enishi got up from the floor and went to the drawer. Misao had already placed his lunch there, and he pulled it to his side.

¡°Thank-you, Misao-chan.¡± 

¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, Yukishiro-san! And I heard you escaped again on Monday! How exciting!¡±

¡°Misao-chan, if I escaped, you wouldn¡¯t be talking to me,¡± he said dryly.

¡°Oh, oh... Yeah. Umn, I guess you tried. Saitou-san isn¡¯t very happy, though.¡±

Enishi chose to keep silent.

¡°Yukishiro-san?¡±

¡°Yes, Misao?¡± Enishi asked tiredly. Damn, this girl talked more than Tomoe.

¡°When are you going to be released?¡±

Enishi sighed. ¡°Ten years later, at the earliest?¡± He was lying. He had been given a lifetime sentence.

¡°TEN YEARS! You have to be joking, Yukishiro-san. But I expect they¡¯ll put you on parole sometime. You have to stop es- sorry, trying to escape, if you want to be put on parole anytime soon. Let¡¯s set a target, Yukishiro-san. What about... say, in one years¡¯ time? I think by that time I¡¯ll be getting married to Aoshi-sama, and you can attend our wedding! Won¡¯t that be wonderful?¡± Misao closed her eyes wistfully.

That girl was irritating in an endearing way. ¡°Anything you say, Misao-chan,¡± Enishi said. He couldn¡¯t help but smile at the way she fantasised aloud. If not for Misao, Enishi would have already become like some of the criminals in the other cells, despondent, disillusioned, and bitter.

¡°What kind of ring do you think Aoshi-sama would give me? Will we have a western wedding, or a Japanese wedding? Oh, Yukishiro-san, I can¡¯t wait!¡±

Enishi almost laughed out loud. As far as he knew, Shinomori Aoshi was making no moves, not even to date Misao, not to say marry her.

¡°Oh, look at the time! I¡¯m sorry, Yukishiro-san, but I have to go now! It was wonderful talking to you!¡± Misao rattled off before pushing the food trolley to the next cell.

Enishi shook his head. Misao had never worked anyplace else except for this prison, and she needed a look outside. Maybe if he ever escaped, he would take her with him as a favour returned for all the food.

...

Kenshin never dared to look straight at Kaoru anymore. Not since the time he had vomited all over her, and Ithen/I proceeded to cry into her shoulder. No, he didn¡¯t deserve to talk to her, or even look at her. He could tell, from the faint prickling of the hair on the back of his neck, that she watched him, but he could never bring himself to turn and face her.

He still had not told her about his past, and she had not had the chance to ask him. But it was better that way. There was no point in raking up the leaves, especially when they had settled. Ever since that Monday, Kenshin stopped having those horrible fits of his. Megumi said he was improving. Everyone said he was improving. Kaoru knew he was improving.

But was he?

You¡¯re not improving one bit, Himura. I¡¯m still as strong as ever. 

Evidently, Kenshin was not exactly doing so.

¡°Kenshin?¡±

Kenshin was walking down the corridor, a basketful of laundry in his arms. He stopped, but did not look at Kaoru, who was standing behind him. Instead, he looked to the ground- or more to the laundry.

¡°Kenshin?¡± Kaoru asked again.

¡°Y- yes, Kaoru-dono?¡± Kenshin¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.

¡°Why are you ignoring me?¡± Kaoru sounded hurt.

¡°I am?¡±

¡°Yes.¡±

¡°I¡¯m sorry about that time-¡± Kenshin began, but was cut off.

¡°I don¡¯t really care about whether I got dirty or anything. Trust me, Kenshin- it¡¯s fine.¡±

¡°Are you sure, Kaoru-dono?¡±

¡°Yes, definitely.¡±

¡°Thank-you, Kaoru-dono. Is there anything else?¡±

¡°Nothing. Nothing much. It¡¯s visiting day tomorrow, and I just wanted to ask if... if anyone was coming to visit you tomorrow.¡± Kaoru immediately turned red.

Kenshin again lowered his eyes to the ground. ¡°No. No one¡¯s coming.¡±

¡°Oh.¡±

¡°No one¡¯s come to visit me in ten years, so don¡¯t feel that bad, Kaoru-dono,¡± Kenshin smiled sadly.

¡°What... what about... Tomoe?¡± Kaoru stammered out.

¡°Dead,¡± Kenshin said flatly. Before Kaoru could say anything more, he turned around and began to walk away.

Kaoru stood there in semi-shock. She had figured that Tomoe was someone from Kenshin¡¯s past, but she hadn¡¯t realised that the woman was... dead.

...

Soujiro¡¯s forehead creased slightly as he watched Misao talking animatedly to Yukishiro Enishi. It was definitely not healthy for her to be around such company. Of course, Shinomori-san never really said anything about it, but Soujiro could tell that the man had his worries.

Soujiro¡¯s mind flicked back to his conversation with Aoshi.

_¡°Soujiro, I need you to help me,¡± Aoshi muttered under his breath._

_¡°Yes, Shinomori-san?¡± Soujiro asked._

_¡°I can¡¯t hang around Misao so much, so... so could you help me watch out for her?¡±_

_¡°Hai, Shinomori-san.¡±_

Soujiro smiled ruefully. Sooner or later Aoshi would have to make a move. He couldn¡¯t just leave the girl hanging there. Or could he?

Soujiro was jerked out of his reverie by Misao¡¯s cheerful voice.

¡°Good evening, Sou-chan!¡± Misao chirped, pushing the cart, which was piled with empty dishes, in front of her at high speed.

¡°Good evening, Misao-chan!¡± Soujiro smiled, nodding. He gently nudged Misao aside and took hold of the cart. ¡°Don¡¯t go that fast, or you¡¯ll crash.¡±

¡°Thank-you, Sou-chan! But don¡¯t worry- I never crash. I¡¯ve been doing this since I was a little girl!¡± Misao giggled, taking the cart again.

Yes, but how old was she? Barely sixteen. She was still a little girl, was she not? Or at least Shinomori-san thought so.

¡°AOSHI-SAMA!¡± Misao squealed, as she spied Aoshi walking down the corridor.

¡°Good evening, Misao. You should be going home now,¡± Aoshi said quietly.

¡°Yes, yes, Aoshi-sama. I¡¯ll be going home now! Bye!¡± Misao waved energetically, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was going to leave anytime soon.

Aoshi padded softly down the corridor, checking the locks and bolts to every prison door.

¡°Soujiro, go over to the other block to help Sagara check the locks.¡±

¡°Hai, Shinomori-san!¡±

Aoshi did not pay any attention to Misao as he tested the locks for cell 461a.

Unfortunately, neither did he pay any attention to the movements of a certain Yukishiro Enishi directly behind him.

¡°AOSHI-SAMA!!¡± Misao¡¯s shriek was the last thing he heard before a large wooden plank impacted with the back of his head.

Enishi stood over Aoshi¡¯s prone figure and dropped the plank carelessly on the ground.

¡°I¡¯m free. I¡¯m leaving this place. Want to come, Misao-chan? No? Bye, then,¡± Enishi said, as if he was commenting on the weather.

Misao stumbled to Aoshi, tears blurring her vision.

¡°Aoshi... sama?¡± she asked. ¡°Aoshi-sama...¡±

Aoshi groaned slightly as his eyes snapped open. It was all black.

¡°AOSHI-SAMA! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re awake! Yukishiro-san escaped! Please, please tell me you¡¯re all right!¡± Misao screamed with joy.

Aoshi waved his fingers in front of his face. It was still black.

¡°Misao, is it just me, or did someone turn off the lights?¡±

A/N:

YAY! I¡¯ve introduced Misao! Okay, so she¡¯s kind of stupid. And NO! Don¡¯t kill me for doing that to Aoshi- it was inevitable! Or maybe it wasn¡¯t. But never mind, I think its temporary. Or is it? **Maniacal Laughter**

REVIEW THANKS:

FUUKO-SAN: The other way round? Sounds sweet and happy... Oooh... GREAT IDEA!! But no, I don¡¯t think I can juggle two stories with the same idea at the same time... heh. Anyway, thanks!

KAKARLENA TSUGOI: Really? Thanks!

CHIRUKEN: I think Kaoru just poked a bit too deep... heh. Anyway, thanks!

C-CHAN: You think so? Thanks!

POLKA DOT: I was watching the Matrix... You know, the part where Neo pukes white phlegm on the deck?

THE WEIRD ONE: It was confusing? Oh... okay... Sorry then.

BESHO: Thanks. Most people say that my imagination is retarded. :) It¡¯s nice to see someone who begs to differ.

KITTY FLARE: I do? O.o Thanks!


	5. The Truth

**The Memory of Trees**

**The Truth**

_The only thing that_

_Separates the humans_

_From the animals is_

_The presence of our souls_

Kenshin watched smilingly as he watched the uncle hug his niece, sounds of their laughter reaching his ears. Slowly, he got off the stool he was sitting on and made his way towards the two of them.

¡°Good morning, Takashi-dono!¡± Kenshin said to the man.

¡°Good morning, Himura-san!¡± Takashi said, smiling. ¡°Say hello to Himura-san, Yukiko!¡± he told the girl.

¡°Hello to Himura-san, Yukiko!¡±

¡°Hello, Yukiko-chan!¡± Kenshin patted her head, laughing.

¡°So, Himura-san, has anyone come to see you yet?¡± Takashi asked.

¡°No. Not one in ten years,¡± Kenshin replied, grinning. ¡°Your cousin came?¡±

¡°Yes, and brought one of his girls too.¡±

¡°The other daughter?¡±

¡°Misao is working at the Detention Centre- too busy. Perhaps another day.¡±

¡°Of course, Takashi-dono. Perhaps another day.¡±

Kenshin waved goodbye to the little girl and started making his way into the building.

¡°Kenshin?¡± A voice from behind made him stop short.

¡°Yes, Kaoru-dono?¡± Kenshin asked.

¡°Could we talk?¡± Kenshin could sense the quiver in Kaoru¡¯s voice.

¡°Of course, Kaoru-dono.¡±

¡°Maybe we could go somewhere a bit more... private?¡± Kaoru asked tentatively.

¡°If you wish, Kaoru-dono.¡±

They walked for a while, until they reached an empty spot in the garden with a western bench placed there.

¡°Maybe here, Kaoru-dono?¡± Kenshin asked experimentally.

Kaoru nodded slowly.

¡°Have a seat, Kaoru-dono.¡±

¡°You too.¡±

They sat down, and an awkward silence prevailed.

¡°So... what do you want to talk about, Kaoru-dono?¡± Kenshin finally asked.

¡°Kenshin, I¡¯m sorry I asked such an insensitive question yesterday,¡± Kaoru suddenly blurted.

Kenshin turned slightly red. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t mind.¡±

¡°But could I ask you... Who is Tomoe?¡±

Kenshin closed his eyes for a few moments, and then opened them. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, Kaoru-dono.¡±

¡°Try me.¡±

Kenshin took a deep breath. ¡°Do you know who I really am? Do you want to know?¡±

...

It was black. It was a dark, smothering, inky blackness that seemed to engulf the world around him. He felt strangely helpless. He could hear voices, sobbing, worried discussions, but he could not see.

¡°Aoshi- Aoshi-sama?¡± Misao¡¯s voice was strangely soft, as if she was on the verge of tears.

¡°Misao?¡± Aoshi asked.

¡°Aoshi-sama, it¡¯s good to see you¡¯re awake again,¡± Misao whispered. He felt her hand rest on his, squeezing gently.

¡°Where¡¯s Soujiro?¡± Aoshi asked.

¡°Sou-chan¡¯s with Saitou-san, documenting leads to where Yukishiro-san is. Get some rest, Aoshi-sama,¡± Misao said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡±

¡°Misao?¡± Aoshi asked.

¡°Yes?¡±

¡°Have you been crying?¡± Aoshi swallowed painfully. That was a stupid question.

¡°N- no, Aoshi-sama.¡± It was obvious that she was lying.

Hurriedly, Misao pushed the sliding door open.

She ran down the corridor, tears blinding her. She was weak, just too weak. How could she let Aoshi-sama become like this?

_¡°I¡¯m free. I¡¯m leaving this place. Want to come, Misao-chan? No? Bye, then,¡± Enishi said, as if he was commenting on the weather._

Enishi had asked her to come.

_Want to come, Misao-chan?_

It was he who had caused Aoshi-sama to become like this. It was Yukishiro Enishi. He had caused Aoshi-sama¡¯s eyes to become so lifeless, so dead... so grey. He knew she loved Aoshi-sama. And yet he had blinded him. And then asked her if she wanted to come.

_Want to come, Misao-chan?_

Misao¡¯s jaw was firm with determination as she whispered fiercely to herself.

¡°I¡¯ll hunt you down and make you pay, if it¡¯s the last thing I ever do!¡±

...

Kenshin¡¯s knuckles were white as he clenched and unclenched his fists in trepidation and frustration. But Kaoru¡¯s eyes seemed to encourage him, to urge him on.

¡°I haunted the streets of Kyoto, killing the people I was assigned to kill. I will not lie to you- I revelled in their pain, their suffering. I was like a vampire, taking their lives, enjoying the way their blood dripped from my sword when I killed. I felt no remorse. I was the Hitokiri Battousai- I felt no fear.

¡°Then one day, I killed a man named Kyosato, an envoy for the shogunate at that time. We fought before he died, and that was how I got one of my scars.

¡°Tomoe was his fianc¨¦e at that time, and his childhood friend. When she heard that I had killed her husband-to-be, she grew angry. She journeyed to Kyoto, so she could hunt me out, so she could kill me to avenge Kyosato¡¯s death.

¡°We met in a rain of blood. I do not know how, but we fell in love, by some twisted game of fate. She was my sheath. She was my weakness.

¡°And I killed her. I killed her to kill my enemy, and she completed my scar with her dagger. She told me not to cry, but I did. How could I not, when I had killed my only happiness?

¡°I put down my sword and picked up a sakabatou- the reversed edge sword. Tomoe wanted me to stop killing- she believed it was not my nature. I think it was her last wish.¡± Kenshin sighed and closed his eyes again, reliving the memories. But the tears did not come.

Kaoru placed a slender hand on his shoulder, and he looked into her eyes. They offered comfort.

¡°Kenshin?¡± Kaoru asked worriedly. Had she probed to deeply?

¡°I never told a single person about this for ten years. Now that I¡¯ve let it all out, I feel as if an eternal poison has been extracted from my soul,¡± Kenshin said flatly. ¡°But Battousai is still there, and he¡¯s waiting to come out of me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±

¡°You don¡¯t belong here, do you? You¡¯re not mad.¡± Kaoru asked hesitantly.

¡°Do I?¡± Kenshin asked, dry mirth tingeing his voice. For a moment his eyes flashed golden.

Kaoru placed her hand on his heart, feeling its pulse run up her arm.

¡°You don¡¯t. I believe you don¡¯t. Battousai has no right to your life, Kenshin.¡±

Kenshin drew away, letting Kaoru¡¯s hand fall. ¡°You think it¡¯s easy? You think it¡¯s easy to keep him inside, keeping him from getting out and killing again? It¡¯s not. It¡¯s not easy at all.¡± Kenshin stood up, turning his back to Kaoru.

¡°I know, Kenshin. But you have to try.¡±

¡°I¡¯ve tried for ten years. I built the walls that shielded others from me. I did all that I could. But he¡¯s still here. And the last thing you should do is to start tearing the walls down,¡± Kenshin said, too harshly for his own liking. 

¡°But the thing is, Kenshin, you¡¯ve been building the wrong walls,¡± Kaoru said, smiling beseechingly as she stood up and gripped his sleeve.

¡°The wrong walls,¡± Kenshin said bitterly. ¡°Then tell me, which ones are the right ones?¡±

¡°Kenshin, you already know. You know, deep in your heart, what you are to do, but you just have to do it,¡± Kaoru murmured into his ear as she pulled him around and drew him into a warm hug. ¡°I¡¯ll be there to help you, and you know that,¡± she told him comfortingly.

¡°I am afraid... I am afraid that I will hurt you, Kaoru-dono,¡± Kenshin whispered tentatively.

Kaoru pulled away and stood facing him. She raised her hand to his cheek and gently traced the ugly scars on Kenshin¡¯s cheek.

¡°You forgot, Kenshin, that I am invincible,¡± Kaoru said with mock seriousness.

Slowly, a mischievous smile crept onto Kenshin¡¯s face. ¡°Is that so, Kaoru-dono?¡±

Kaoru did not have time to answer as Kenshin suddenly reached out to tickle her.

Megumi and Sanosuke watched the redheaded man chase the nurse across the garden, all the while laughing. Sanosuke cocked his head to look at Megumi.

¡°How long since we did that, Kitsune?¡± he asked, a wicked glint in his eyes.

A/N:

Hah. I decided to end this chapter on a light-hearted tone, what with Aoshi¡¯s blindness and Misao¡¯s revenge... I¡¯ve been listening to too much Ice Blue Eyes (Misao¡¯s image theme) already... must get off it!!

REVIEW THANKS:

KAKARLENA TSUGOI: Your fics are quite good too! Anyway, thanks!

I-WILL-NOT-BE-NAMED: I don¡¯t know... Formatting has been killing me. I do this nice, normal-looking formatting job and then I turn around and there are all these wonky signs that look like they came out of the Matrix. Heck. And then I can¡¯t upload anything for like, one week? Bummer the Internet.

CHIRUKEN: Heh- it¡¯s definitely temporary, because I¡¯m writing another fic where a character is ¡°sentenced to eternal darkness¡± permanently!! Bwahahahar... And I like Misao, any way she is, but especially when she¡¯s dumb, because in my opinion that¡¯s the only way she can balance off with dear old Aoshi-sama...

XP-DARKANGEL: Yup. He¡¯s blind, but TEMPORARILY only, because I have another fic in mind... **Laughs Maniacally** YOU ARE ADDING ME? YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! THANK YOU!!

JENNI HIMURA (or is it HIMURA JENNI in Japanese?): Do _I_ like to torture dear old Kenshin? Simply no, but it is part of the story. After all that torturing, I am never going to be the same person again. Special thanks to all my reviewers and Linkin Park for helping me live through the dream sequence and everything else... And thanks to _you_ too, Jenni!

C-CHAN: Thanks, C-Chan!

FUUKO-SAN: I think Misao is going to do just that... **wink** Anyway, thanks!


	6. The Mother

**The Memory of Trees**

**The Mother**

_Prejudice is_

_The pre-judgement_

_Of a fellow member of_

_The human race_

¡°Goodbye Megumi-san!¡± Kaoru called as she shouldered her bag, about to walk out of the Asylum gates. It was the end of the week, and Kaoru was going home for the night. Unlike her brother Soujiro, Kaoru¡¯s job did not allow her to return home during weekdays, and so Kaoru was quite relieved to be going home after sleeping in the nurses¡¯ quarters for a week. To ensure that there was never a shortage of nurses during the night, they took turns to return home, and it was finally Kaoru¡¯s.

As she was about to lock the door, a soft cry of her name interrupted her. She looked up.

¡°Kenshin? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in bed?¡± Kaoru asked, intrigued.

¡°Doctor Takani said that I could accompany you while you were going home tonight, in case anything happened on the way,¡± Kenshin said, smiling sheepishly at her. ¡°If you didn¡¯t mind, that is.¡±

Kaoru laughed. ¡°Of course not, Kenshin. And I¡¯m certain my family would like to meet you,¡± she said, passing her bag to Kenshin, who stiffened at the mention of Kaoru¡¯s family.

¡°I think... not, Kaoru-dono,¡± Kenshin said, lowering his eyes to the ground.

Kaoru instinctively reached out and lifted Kenshin¡¯s chin with her fingers. ¡°Remember what I told you about looking at the ground, Kenshin?¡± she said accusingly.

¡°Sorry... Kaoru-dono,¡± Kenshin said slowly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±

¡°Don¡¯t worry about my family, Kenshin, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll like you.¡±

¡°Doctor Takani said to come straight back.¡± He was hesitant.

¡°Just drop by and say hello. It won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±

A pause. ¡°Then... anything you say, Kaoru-dono.¡±

They walked in silence, enjoying each other¡¯s company. It was sleeting that night, and the snowflakes on Kaoru¡¯s eyelashes and hair made her look more beautiful than ever, Kenshin noticed, as he stole a glance across to Kaoru.

¡°Tomorrow is examination day, you know, Kenshin? I heard Doctor Genzai is coming over to look everyone over,¡± Kaoru said, breaking the silence

Kenshin nodded, shifting the bag to his other hand.

¡°Is it too heavy, Kenshin?¡± Kaoru asked.

Kenshin shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kaoru-dono.¡±

They stayed silent again.

Then Kaoru asked, ¡°Kenshin?¡±

¡°Yes, Kaoru-dono?¡±

¡°Why are you so quiet?¡±

¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡±

¡°Kenshin, why do you think that everything is nothing much?¡± Kaoru asked sharply. ¡°Just tell me, Kenshin. Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±

¡°You¡¯d probably think I¡¯m worrying, but it¡¯s just that...¡±

¡°Just what?¡±

¡°It¡¯s just that... Every time Doctor Genzai comes over, Battousai kicks up a fuss.¡±

¡°He... kicks up a fuss?¡± Kaoru asked doubtfully.

¡°The first time there was an examination, I went crazy and tried to hit Megumi-dono with a chair. Luckily, Sanosuke pinned me down before I could do anything. Another time, I stopped talking. Then there was the time I ran straight into a wall, almost cracking my skull.¡±

¡°What does that mean, Kenshin?¡± Kaoru asked hesitantly.

¡°Battousai doesn¡¯t like checkups,¡± Kenshin said, a bitter smile on his face. ¡°Oh no, he hates them.¡±

¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kenshin. Tomorrow it¡¯ll be different. You¡¯ll be fine- I know you¡¯ll be. Tell you what, I¡¯ll sit in the room with you when it¡¯s your turn, okay?¡±

Kenshin smiled. ¡°Thank you so much, Kaoru-dono. It¡¯s changed since you¡¯ve arrived,¡± he said softly.

Kaoru laughed. ¡°How could it? Everything¡¯s still the same as ever.¡±

¡°Oh no, it¡¯s not. I, for one, have changed.¡±

_Of course you¡¯ve changed, Himura. You¡¯ve changed for the worse._

Sometimes Kenshin wished Battousai would just shut up once in a while.

Kaoru turned to look at Kenshin as they reached her house. What could she see in his eyes? Fear? Apprehension?

¡°Kaoru-dono, I think-¡± Kenshin began as Kaoru pulled him through the gate.

¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kenshin, just come and meet my parents,¡± Kaoru said beseechingly.

Just then, the sliding door opened, revealing Kaoru¡¯s mother and brother, Soujiro.

¡°Good evening, onee-san!¡± Soujiro chirped.

¡°Kao-chan! We¡¯re so glad you¡¯re back! Your father went on a business trip to Kyoto a few days after you left, and I¡¯ve been worrying for the past few days about everyone,¡± Kaoru¡¯s mother gushed as she ran forward to hug Kaoru, who hugged her back.

¡°And who¡¯s this young man here?¡± Kaoru¡¯s mother asked as she released Kaoru and eyed Kenshin suspiciously.

¡°Oh, this is Himura Kenshin from the Asylum, mother. He walked me home,¡± Kaoru said, gesturing towards Kenshin, who bowed with a respectful ¡°Kamiya-dono.¡±

Very softly, Kaoru¡¯s mother asked, ¡°Doctor or nurse?¡±

¡°He¡¯s a patient, Mother,¡± Kaoru said loudly, shooting an apologetic glance at Kenshin.

Kaoru¡¯s mother directed a nervous smile that did not touch her eyes in Kenshin¡¯s direction as she ushered Kaoru into the house, pulling the sliding door shut behind her, and leaving Soujiro and Kenshin out in the snow.

¡°It is wonderful to meet you, Himura-san!¡± Soujiro said, smiling widely at Kenshin. ¡°I am Kaoru¡¯s brother, Soujiro.¡±

¡°Good evening, Soujiro-san,¡± Kenshin said quietly.

¡°Sou-chan would be nicer, Himura-san!¡±

¡°Then you should call me Kenshin, not Himura-san,¡± Kenshin laughed softly. ¡°Oh, and here is Kaoru-dono¡¯s luggage. Please tell her that I will be leaving now, and I am sorry that I caused so much of an inconvenience.¡±

¡°Will do, Himura-san!¡±

Soujiro frowned slightly as he watched the retreating figure of Kenshin walking down the road and disappearing from sight. Shinomori-san had mentioned someone that fitted Kenshin¡¯s description exactly, but Soujiro could not quite put his finger on the man¡¯s name. Wait, he remembered- how could he forget?

¡°Hitokiri Battousai,¡± Soujiro whispered, the smile back on his face. ¡°Saitou-san might find your new identity very _interesting_.¡±

A/N:

I NEED A BETA!! As in: a proofreader who actually _reads_ the fic and knows how to give constructive criticism. Drop me a line at elfin_arwen01@hotmail.com, okay?

Review Thanks:

APRIL-MOON: Definitely poor Enishi. That guy is sad, man! Yeah, and he should have been put in the asylum. Let¡¯s see if I can do anything about that at the end of the fic...

TANGO OF CRÈME: Wait... I think he always had one, except he controlled it better... until Saitou-san appeared! HAH!

HIMURA JENNI: Battousai or Kenshin? Hmmm... I¡¯ve given it much thought, and my final verdict is that even though Battousai can be disturbingly sexy (what with licking his blood an all), Kenshin is the sweet guy that I really, really prefer. Sigh. It¡¯s great to find someone who likes Battousai, though!

XP-DARKANGEL: You equally touched me! *Sob! * And yes, Aoshi has to depend on Misao, except that halfway through she runs off to take revenge on Enishi... Oops, wasn¡¯t supposed to leak... XD

LITTOGRRLSTEPHIE: Ah... good question. Why must I make Aoshi go blind? Actually, it was my muse who suggested that. DAMN YOU ORION! Yeah, and Battousai is going to emerge, but I¡¯m not telling when...

TSUGOI KAKARLENA: Thanks so much, girl!


End file.
